England manager Thomas Tuchel has announced his 26-man World Cup squad, with major omissions including Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has named his 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, with several high-profile omissions dominating the announcement.
The biggest surprises include Chelsea star Cole Palmer and Real Madrid full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, both of whom have been left out of the tournament squad despite their international experience.
Palmer, who played a key role in England’s EURO 2024 final run and scored in the 2-1 defeat to Spain, is one of two notable Chelsea absentees. Levi Colwill also misses out due to a lingering knee injury that has limited his availability.
It’s official. Your #ThreeLions players heading to the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/lqsDBYSP4X
— England (@England) May 22, 2026
Alexander-Arnold’s omission is particularly striking, as Tuchel has consistently overlooked him throughout the year. The former Liverpool defender has managed just 27 minutes of action under the German manager and will now miss the tournament entirely.
The squad selection also follows criticism from Harry Maguire, who recently expressed surprise at his omission from the preliminary group. Tuchel instead selected Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, and Dan Burn as his centre-back options, with Jarell Quansah also earning a place.
In his official statement, Tuchel described the selection process as challenging but said he has full belief in the group chosen to represent England. He emphasised that every player included deserved their place in the squad.
🚨🏴 Main names left out of the England World Cup squad list by Thomas Tuchel.
❌ Cole Palmer
❌ Harry Maguire
❌ Lewis Hall
❌ Morgan Gibbs-White
❌ Adam Wharton
❌ Phil Foden
❌ Jarrod Bowen
❌ Alex Scott
❌ Trent Alexander-Arnold
❌ Luke Shaw
❌ Fikayo Tomori pic.twitter.com/nETun0pfgI— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 22, 2026
Defensively, Tuchel has opted for flexibility, naming Nico O’Reilly and Djed Spence as left-back options, while Tino Livramento and Reece James are expected to compete for the right-back position.
There were further notable exclusions in midfield, with Adam Wharton, Phil Foden, and Morgan Gibbs-White all missing out despite strong performances at club level or previous international involvement.
Up front, Ivan Toney earned a surprise recall after an impressive season in Saudi Arabia, where he has scored 42 goals in all competitions. England will begin their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Croatia, followed by group matches against Ghana and Panama as they look to improve on their quarter-final exit four years ago.
England Squad For The World Cup
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Dan Burn (Newcastle), John Stones (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle)
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Attackers: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
